The prior art discloses a variety of connector assemblies for use with patch bay panels allowing for the interconnection of cables terminated along a rearward face of the patch bay panel with cables received into sockets along the front face of the patch bay panel. Cables are typically terminated by a plug or the like which is inserted into the socket. Such plugs typically comprise a latch assembly which interlocks with the socket thereby reducing the chance that a cable is inadvertently removed from its respective socket. In the event that it is wished to removed a plug from a socket, the latch must first be actuated, typically by depressing an exposed portion of the latch using the fingers or a thumb. In many cases space within the patch bays is limited and as a result the density of cables which must be terminated within a given patch bay is steadily increasing. In order to accommodate the increases in density, the inter-spacing between the connectors of adjacent cables is typically decreased.
With inter-spacing sufficiently small, or when the receptacle is occluded by the sides of the rack or opening within which the connector is disposed, it becomes difficult or impossible to actuate the latches using the fingers or thumb. In order to overcome this problem, the prior art discloses using a sufficiently slim special tool to actuate the latch mechanism. Often, however, such a tool is unavailable. Additionally such tools are typically designed for use with a particular connector/plug type and therefore a multiple of such tools must ordinarily be carried.
Additionally, prior art devices are difficult to access from behind, making the termination of cables or the like on the rearward side of the connectors difficult or impossible.